Welcome to the Largo/Mid-Pinellas Democratic Club. We are an active group of about one hundred members in mid-Pinellas County, Florida, who seek to stimulate interest in political and governmental affairs; to strengthen and to further the ideals and principles of the Democratic Party; to provide reasonable and ongoing financial support to the county Democratic Executive Committee; to promote participation among Democrats; to assist in identifying prospective Democratic candidates; to support and elect the duly selected nominees of the Democratic Party in national, state, and local campaigns; and to foster good fellowship among Democrats.

Our next club meeting will be Monday, Jan 16 7:15 p.m., at the Acropol Restaurant, 1170 Starkey Rd., Largo. (click for map) For further information, contact club Vice-President Lois Fries at 727-581-2146 or Loisfries@gmail.com. We have invited Constitutional Law Professor Dr. Michael Allen, Stetson Law School, to return and give us an updated perspective on the future.

12/01/2016

On November 16, Senator Nelson spoke on the Senate floor regarding the need to bring people together. In his speech Senator Nelson said, “it is incumbent on us, regardless of party to reach out and to try to help the new president on behalf and for the sake of our country.” To read the speech printed in the Congressional Record, visit: http://bit.ly/2gqFHNy.

Improving Veterans Crisis Line

On November 16, Senator Nelson supported final passage of H.R.5392, theNo Veterans Crisis Line Call Should Go Unanswered Act, which passed the Senate by unanimous consent. This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to develop specific protocol to ensure that every veteran with mental health issues calling the crisis line for assistance receives a timely response. Senator Nelson’s support of this bill builds on his previous efforts to secure adequate funding for the veterans’ crisis line and his work with the VA to acquire up-to-date and comprehensive data on veterans’ mental health in Florida and nationwide.

Protecting Coastal Tourism and Military Training Areas

On November 17, Senator Nelson successfully led an effort against S. 3110, the American Energy and Conservation Act of 2016, which would have incentivized drilling in the Gulf of Mexico and in the Atlantic, threatening coastal military training areas and Florida’s tourism-dependent economy. The bill failed by a vote of 51-47. Prior to voting, Senator Nelson spoke on the Senate floor regarding his strong opposition to the bill. To view his speech, visit: https://youtu.be/5rAdbEo_R-s.

Protecting the Privacy of Floridians

On November 18, Senator Nelson sent a letter to Attorney General Loretta Lynch, calling on her to investigate the State of Florida’s practice of selling residents’ personal information to private companies. The letter comes after reports that the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles sold the personal information of more than 15 million licensed Florida drivers to at least 75 companies in the last two years. The State was paid more than $150 million for the information. Specifically, the letter asks the Department of Justice to investigate whether the State of Florida is violating the Driver’s Privacy Protection Act of 1994 (18 U.S.C. § 2721), which prohibits states from releasing the personal information of drivers to marketing companies without first gaining their express consent.

11/14/2016

10/30/2016

Yesterday, Republican Congressional leaders leaked an unprecedented letter from FBI Director James Comey, with initial reports including dire headlines for Hillary Clinton. But like most “bombshell” discoveries about Clinton over the course of this campaign, it fizzled rapidly as facts actually became available. Let’s review...

Former officials on both sides of aisle criticized Comey. New York Times: “Mr. Comey’s letter opened him up to criticism not only from Democrats but also from current and former officials at the F.B.I. and the Justice Department, including Republicans.”

Clinton and Trump both calling for more information. Huffington Post: “Both camps demanded that FBI Director James Comey disclose more details about the emails and the bureau’s investigation.”

This is hardly the first time. It seems the script is always the same:

10/16/2016

I hope you received the Largo Club Palm Card I emailed last week (see post below). The Board spent a lot of time discussing the various choices.

Mary Lou Ambrose, President

Most of the individual recommendations were easy. The School Board District 1 was harder because there are two Democrats running in this non-partisan race. The Constitutional Amendments and the Charter Amendments took more discussion but the Judge/Justice recommendations are complicated enough that a simple YES or NO would not suffice. So we did not put that recommendation on the Palm Card.

Retention of the Appellate Judges is almost impossible to resolve. On the whole, our Appellate Division is pretty good. Some bad decisions and many good decisions. To be honest, we never remove a Judge, so voting to retain the Appellate Judges is a reasonable decision.

The Florida Supreme Court is another matter. There are three Justices who are to be retained or not. All three of these Justices really should not be retained. My understanding is that Justice Canady is actually on Donald Trump’s short list for the US Supreme Court. That should tell you a lot about him. All three Justices, Canady, Labargo and Polston voted to allow the absolutely terrible language in Amendment 1 to go onto the ballot. That was a completely partisan decision and gave good reason to believe that they are in the pocket of the big Utilities. If we had seven Justices who rendered fair and reasonable decisions, Amendment 1 would not be appearing on the ballot. The problem here is that if any or all three Justices are not retained, Governor Scott will have full responsibility for appointing their replacements. The Governor has attempted to “pack” the Court and we all know that he cannot be trusted to make decisions which bode well for the average Floridian. So the choice is whether to retain bad Justices or to allow Governor Scott to appoint bad Justices. This is a No Win situation and I cannot suggest how you should vote.

08/19/2016

At the last Board meeting Lois Fries asked if we should put something about 9/11 in the Newsletter. We, like everyone else, had during this 15 year anniversary been catapulted back to 2001 and the horrors of that day. We had once again watched the planes hit the Twin Towers over and over as we had 15 years before. We once again watched the Pentagon turn to rubble and heard about the bravery of those on a flight over rural Pennsylvania who averted another tragedy by sacrificing their own lives. No one seemed ready to write about it. I told them that I had a positive, even happy, story about 9/11.

On Sunday, September 11th, 2016, I had spoken with Father Jim Beaton, an Episcopal priest from Newfoundland, about a sermon he had given years ago here in Clearwater. Father Beaton is a part-time priest at St. John’s Episcopal Church when he and his wife spend the cold Newfoundland winters here in Florida. A few years ago he had told us about the church in his small town in Newfoundland which was part of a huge effort to care for airline passengers stranded in Newfoundland on September 11th as the result of the decision to get all planes out of the sky until the danger was understood. If you remember, no one really knew what was happening or who was responsible.

Father Beaton told us how his small church took in a large number of passengers from planes that had been redirected to Gander, Newfoundland. Some stayed with parish families, others were put up in the old church. They were well taken care of for days. People cooked for them. They gave them personal items. If they needed medicine, they got it. When they needed a shoulder to lean on, or someone to talk to, the people of the parish were there for them. The church became the meeting place. Friendships which last to this day were formed between the parishioners and the passengers. Many still keep contact, with many of the passengers actually having visited Newfoundland multiple times through the years.

The old church had some problems, especially with the electrical system, which was very apparent to the passengers. The passengers kept in contact not only with the Canadians, but with each other. After heading home they knew that they owed a debt of thankfulness to the people and the parish. They got together and raised the money to rewire the church. They did not just write a check, many went back to the parish and did the work themselves.

When I spoke to Father Beaton on Sunday he told me that as a memorial to this 15th Anniversary, many of the passengers brought their children and grandchildren to meet the parishioners. Many of the children were babies on September 11th, 2001 or not even born. The parents and grandparents wanted the children to become part of the story which had begun 15 years before.

Unfortunately, I was unable to reach Father Beaton after I decided to write about his sermon. He and his wife are traveling back to Newfoundland. Given that, I did some research on the internet.

What I found out is that 38 planes were diverted to Gander, Newfoundland that terrible day. 7000 people +/- were on those planes that landed in an area of 10,000 people. There were also dogs and cat and two Bonobo Apes. Put yourself into the position of the people of Gander. They have been hearing all day about planes coming out of the skies raining death and destruction to those on the ground. Now there were 38 planes full of strangers there in their small area. Were any of these planes part of the attacks? They could well have been. The people of Gander ignored the possible dangers and reached out to the people on the planes. Keep in mind that there were no hotels or restaurants of any size in the area. The passengers filled schools, churches, community centers and small nearby towns like Lewisporte.

On the ride back to where they came from, one of the passengers who had stayed in Lewisporte, a professional fund raiser, passed around a notebook asking for contributions toward a scholarship for the graduates of Lewisporte High School. She raised $15,000.00 that day. Eventually almost $2 million was raised and 228 graduates of Lewisporte High have received scholarships so far.

I learned that there is a musical called “Come From Away” which plays each year at this time at Ford’s Theater in Washington DC. It tells the story of 38 planes filled with 7000 people landing in a small Newfoundland town and the people who cared for them and made them all feel at home. I think Joe and I will plan a trip to DC next September.

With all the hate and bigotry we are bombarded with during this campaign year, the idea of good people taking in and caring for strangers forced to land in their small town on that most horrible day, is a breath of fresh air. There are a lot of good people in this world. We just don’t hear a lot about them.

08/08/2016

Please join us Monday, September 19, to hear our special speaker, Rick Boylan.

Rick Boylan is an independent contractor focusing on Democratic political organizing and LGBT projects. He is a member of the Democratic National Committee from Florida and co-chairs the Florida Democratic Party’s Rules Committee. He serves as the Pinellas County Democratic Party’s male representative to the Florida Democratic Party. Rick is an advisor to the Democratic National Committee and directed the Scriptwriting operation at the 2016 Democratic National Convention.

Rick worked at the Democratic National Committee (DNC) for 20 years. His service spanned the terms of eight National Party Chairs. In 1994, he was named the DNC’s Director of Party Affairs and Delegate Selection, a position created to utilize his expertise on the Party’s rules and institutional perspective.

Rick started as a volunteer at the DNC in 1982 and was soon hired to work for the Party Secretary to administer the certification of official convention participants for the 1982 mid-term conference. He stayed on to direct the certification process for the 1984 and 1988 National Conventions. In this capacity, he guided development of the National Party’s first computerized system for tracking information on the nearly 5,000 official convention participants.

For the 1992, 1996 and 2000 Conventions, Rick was responsible for key components of the Democratic Party’s presidential nominating process, including the procedures used by each state Democratic Party to select delegates to the National Convention. He was the first person charged to oversee operations of all three of the convention standing committees (Credentials, Platform, and Rules). Rick was also a primary organizer of the semi-annual National Committee meetings, directed the DNC’s standing committees, and coordinated the DNC Chair’s committee appointments.

After leaving the DNC, the National Committee hired Rick as a consultant for the 2004 Democratic National Convention. He has continued to consult for the DNC on each subsequent National Convention. For the 2008 and 2012 National Conventions, Rick directed the Scriptwriting operation responsible for writing introductions and parliamentary procedures.

As an independent contractor during the 2004 delegate selection cycle, Rick helped increase the number of LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) participants by 25%. For the 2008 Convention, Rick planned and directed a “Pride in the Party” project for the National Stonewall Democrats that increased LGBT participation by over five percent and set a new record for the largest number of official LGBT participants at a National Convention.

Rick is from Bozeman, Montana and has a B.A. in Political Science from Montana State University. He and his husband moved to Florida in 2004 and were married in 2010 in Washington, DC. They serve on the board of a nonprofit organization they co-founded in Washington more than 20 years ago that has donated over $250,000 to DC-based AIDS and LGBT organizations. They also own a small stable of thoroughbred horses that race in Florida, New York, New Jersey, Maryland, West Virginia, Delaware, and Pennsylvania.

07/02/2016

There is some concern among Democrats about the candidates running for the Florida Primary for US Senate. Patrick Murphy seems like a Republican and seems to have some problems sharing his background with Voters. Alan Grayson is a great Progressive but carries a lot of baggage. But there is another candidate in that race - PAM KEITH. The Media has done a great job of ignoring her but she may be the best Candidate.

Pam will speak at the Largo Club membership meeting on July 18th.

Please join us as this may be your only opportunity to hear one of our U S Senate candidates this up-close and personal. I've met Pam, and heard her speak many times, and I know she will impress you as much as she did me. [Admin]

From The Buzz (TBT): "Pam Keith: the U.S. Senate candidate you have't heard of" by Kirby Wilson

..."Democrat Pam Keith, doesn't have a statewide profile, a huge fundraising purse or a single day of experience as an elected public servant.

But don't call Keith a fringe candidate. She wants your vote in the 2016 U.S. Senate election anyway.

In Keith's eyes, her life has given her all the experience she needs. The daughter of Kenton Keith, a U.S. diplomat, Keith, 46, has traveled the world. Growing up, she at various times lived in Turkey, Morocco, Syria, Kentucky, Brazil and California. After graduating from Boston College Law School, she joined the Navy, serving as a JAG in Norfolk, VA and Bahrain. She achieved the rank of Lieutenant before leaving the service in 1999 for a position at Morgan, Lewis & Bockius, a high-powered Washington, D.C. law firm. Since then, her law career has taken her around the country. She settled in Florida in 2011 when she took a job as in-house counsel for Florida Light & Power, and energy company based in Juno Beach.

“I have spent a lifetime being exposed to, educating myself to the issues that we face,” Keith said, citing her law record, her military service and policy talks she held with her now-retired father. “I know what our military needs, what our veterans need. I have a lot of good ideas.”

06/16/2016

Please join us on Monday, June 20 as our featured speaker, Stetson Law Professor Dr. Michael Allen will talk about the Constitution and the Supreme Court; an especially timely topic, and one I’m sure you won’t want to miss. Dr. Allen is a frequent speaker, and renowned for his insightful, and thoroughly entertaining, presentations.

Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, Professor of Law, and Director, Veterans Law Institute Stetson University College of Law

Michael Allen is a Professor of Law at Stetson University College of Law in Gulfport, Florida. He also is the Director of Stetson’s Veterans Law Institute and the College of Law’s Associate Dean for Academic Affairs. He teaches courses in Civil Procedure, Remedies, Complex Litigation, Constitutional Law, Veterans Benefits Law, Practice, and Policy, and the Federal Courts and the Federal System. During his time at Stetson, Dean Allen has received the University level award for Excellence in Teaching, the Award for Excellence in Professionalism and Career Development presented by the Stetson College of Law Student Bar Association, been twice named the Best All Around Professor, and five times been awarded the Golden Apple Achievement Award for teaching.

Before joining the faculty, Dean Allen spent nine years as a civil trial attorney at the law firm of Ropes & Gray in Boston, Massachusetts where he concentrated on complex insurance coverage cases, securities class action defense, large tort actions and general commercial litigation. Professor Allen’s clients included major investment banks, a wide assortment of public companies and insurers at Lloyd’s of London.

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2016-2017 Pinellas County Voter Guide This voter guide provides
you with an overview of
voting in Pinellas County.
It also contains important
dates for upcoming
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information on updating
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information, how to request
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expect if you are voting early or on Election Day.
Please read through the Frequently Asked
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voter and what it takes to be election ready.
Voting is one of your most important rights as
a United States citizen. We encourage you to
register and participate in our representative
democracy by voting. Make Freedom Count!
Deborah Clark
Supervisor of Elections
Pinellas County

Important Resources

PCDEC Weekly NewslettersIf you don't receive these newletters in your email, you will want to check back here each week for the latest in Pinellas County and Florida political events and news. Definitely a "DO NOT MISS"!

The 2012 Democratic National Convention was held in Charlotte, NC Sep 3 - 6. Several Club members attended. These photos include those taken by Wanda Schwerer who attended as a member of the Platform Committee.

A wealth of photos provided by Mary Lou Abrose of the St Pete Democratic Club Picnic and the receptions for Pinellas County Commissioners Calvin Harris and Ken Welch. Lots of folks, including current elected officials and candidates, turned out for both events.

Lots happening in June! The 2010 Campaign season is in full bloom.
Organizing for America (OFA) had a canvassing event; St. Pete Democratic Club has a picnic at the War Veteran's Park; Alex Sink has a birthday party! And on Indian Rocks Beach there was an "oil spill vigil". and that's just through June 8th! Come back for more photos in the coming weeks....

May got off to a great start. The Greater Pinellas Democratic Club picnic at Fort Desoto was May 2nd, and several Largo Club members were there to enjoy the day. On May 3rd, a number of Club members were at the Ridgecrest YMCA to spend the evening with Brenda's Kids, help them write letters to President Obama and enjoy some pizza (and cake!)l

Thank you for attending the Reception for Kendrick Meek on April 17th at Tucson's.
This Photo Gallery contains all phtotos taken at the Reception. To download your photo, find the photo and click on the "thumbnail" image. This will take you to the large image of the photo. Place your cursor in the middle of the photo and RIGHT CLICK to bring up the menu. From this menu elect either "save target as" or "save picture as" and save your photo to your local hard drive.

On April 3rd, 2010, Jack Killingsworth opened his home and back yard to the many volunteers who successfully gathered more than 6,600 candidate petitions for Charlie Justice. Charlie thanked the volunteers, and reminded us that this was just the FIRST STEP of the campaign.
I think after the good food and good fellowship, we're all ready to work just as hard to ensure that Charlie Justice represent U S Congressional District 10 in the 112th Congress.
All photos in this album were taken by Heidi Sanchez.

March got off to a great start, but the Photos start with the weekend of March 13 and 14! Club members marched in the Seminole Pow Wow parade to support Rep. Janet Long, attending the Pinellas OFA meeting in Pinellas Park, and gathered signatures on petitions for Kendrick Meek and Charlie Justice... and that's just for starters!!

One last big event in February - the PCDEC Kennedy-King Gala. Over 250 Democrats turned out to enjoy fellowship and hear from our many candidates including Alex Sink, Kendrick Meek and Charlie Justice. Janet Long was the MC. Our President, Rich Piper, was presented with the Lawton Chiles - Bob Graham award for Grassroots Leadership.

Vernon Bryant of Brenda's Kids at the Greater Ridgecrest YMCA and Chair of the Board of Directors of the Greater Ridgecrest Youth Development Initiative (GRAYDI), was the featured speaker at our February 15th meeting. Vito Sheeley of the Kendrick Meeks for Senate campaign bought petitions and encouraged us to get behind our Candidate. Rep. Meek will be in Pinellas County later this month, and Vito will keep us informed of the dates/times/locations so we can participate.

On Saturday, Feb 13, hundreds of folks gathered on the Florida beaches to participate in "Hands Across the Sand" to protest proposals to drill off our shores.
The Largo/Mid-Pinellas club members split up to cover Clearwater Beach, Indian Rocks Beach, Reddington and other beaches and to gather petitions for Charlie Justice.

On Thursday, Jan 28, 2010, President Obama followed his State of the Union Address with a Town Hall meeting in Tampa, FL., to announce the new High speed rail line to be build between Tampa and Orlando. A delegation from the Largo/Mid-Pinellas Democratic Club were up early to get good seats at the University of Tampa Bob Martinez Sports Center to hear the President and the VIce-President Joe Biden speak and respond to questions. (Photos by Heidi Sanchez)

Three candidates spoke to our January club meeting. Fl State Senator, and US Congressional District 10 candidate Charlie Justice was the keynote speaker. Incumbant Belleair Bluffs Commissioner Joe Barkley is running for re-election and told the Largo club how the Belleair Bluffs economy and Commission decisions affect those of us who dine and shop in the Bluffs. Jessica Summers, who is running to fill Nina Hayden's School Board seat, brought her children to the meeting to show us why she is running, and to emphasize that her children, and all children of Pinellas County are her priority. Over 50 people crowded into Rich Piper's Harbor Bluff's home to hear and meet the candidates.

On Saturday, December 19, Lois Fries hosted the Club's Holiday Party at her home in Largo. The "cost" of admittance was a donation for the Green Chapel food pantry.
Our Photo Editor, Heidi Sanchez, snapped these great photos!
The menu was "pot luck", with members bringing hors d'oeuvres, entres or desserts. Lois's house was festive, the laden table was beautiful, the food plentiful and delicious -- and a great time was had by all.

On Saturday, December 12,Florida CFO and Candidate for Governor Alex Sink spoke to the Democratic Women on the Move! luncheon at Feather Sound Country Club. Several members of the Largo/Mid-Pinellas Democratic Club attended, as did many of our Elected officials.